The LSI Nytro Megaraid 8110-4i (hereafter referred to as the ‘NMR-8110-4i’) is an HBA (Host Bus Adaptor) with its own integrated enterprise grade (eMLC) NAND flash based cache. The cache can be used to accelerate the access to data placed on HDDs that are attached to the HBA. The cache consists of two 100GB SSDs (with Sandforce controllers). The two SSDs can be configured to run as a Raid array reducing the latency (IO response time) of the Cache. In recent months we have reviewed a number of SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Disks) that marry the reduced cost per gigabyte associated with traditional HDDs, with a NAND based cache to give the user an SSD like experience – the NMR-8110-4i can be considered to be an ultimate Enterprise caching solution that can be used in conjunction with up to 128 underlying devices (which may themselves be arranged in Raid arrays).

The LSI Nytro Megaraid 8110-4i (hereafter referred to as the ‘NMR-8110-4i’) is an HBA (Host Bus Adaptor) with its own integrated enterprise grade (eMLC) NAND flash based cache. The cache can be used to accelerate the access to data placed on HDDs that are attached to the HBA. The cache consists of two 100GB SSDs (with Sandforce controllers). The two SSDs can be configured to run as a Raid array reducing the latency (IO response time) of the Cache. In recent months we have reviewed a number of SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Disks) that marry the reduced cost per gigabyte associated with traditional HDDs, with a NAND based cache to give the user an SSD like experience – the NMR-8110-4i can be considered to be an ultimate Enterprise caching solution that can be used in conjunction with up to 128 underlying devices (which may themselves be arranged in Raid arrays).

LSI has recently been acquired by Avago Technologies and a
number of LSI’s flash based assets have then been sold onto Seagate. We
understand that for the foreseeable future historical products will remain
under the ‘LSI, an Avago Technologies Company’ brand, viz -

The LSI Nytro Megaraid 8110-4i (hereafter referred to as the
‘NMR-8110-4i’) is an HBA (Host Bus Adaptor) with its own integrated enterprise
grade (eMLC) NAND flash based cache. The cache can be used to accelerate the
access to data placed on HDDs that are attached to the HBA. The cache consists
of two 100GB SSDs (with Sandforce controllers). The two SSDs can be configured
to run as a Raid array reducing the latency (IO response time) of the Cache.
In recent months we have reviewed a number of SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Disks)
that marry the reduced cost per gigabyte associated with traditional HDDs, with
a NAND based cache to give the user an SSD like experience – the NMR-8110-4i
can be considered to be an ultimate Enterprise caching solution that can be
used in conjunction with up to 128 underlying devices (which may themselves be
arranged in Raid arrays).

Market Positioning and Specification

Market Positioning

This is how LSI positions their Nytro Megaraid solution –

LSI offers game changing technology with an advanced
architecture for servers that are shifting away from using discrete components
from multiple vendors to tightly optimized and integrated intelligent
solutions.

LSI already provides industry leading general purpose
smart controllers to solve a wide variety of performance, data protection and
connectivity problems. Now, LSI is integrating these controllers with emerging
technologies, like Solid State Devices (SSD) and intelligent caching, in a way
that solves the problems of ease of use, compatibility, interoperability and density.

The need for SSD integration within the enterprise is
well documented. SSDs close the storage IO performance gap between traditional
disk based storage, CPU and system memory.

The LSI Nytro MegaRAID family of products is an
all-in-one solution that provides industry hardened RAID and enterprise flash
technology integrated on a single Half Height, Half length PCIe® 3.0
interface intelligent controller.

The Nytro MegaRAID card is the first combo PCIe
RAID+Flash product in the market that is designed to carefully integrate
and optimize all SAS/SATA storage into a single low latency, high
performance, caching and data protected solution. The integration of
enterprise NAND flash modules onto a Nytro MegaRAID card to seamlessly serve
data from the appropriate media (HDD storage and/or SSD) is an unparalleled
product in the market.